Take Me Back to the Night We Met
by AelinofFireheart
Summary: It's been two years since Maya walked away. Two years since she lost her best friend and the only boy she has ever loved. She's in a new school and she is thriving but nothing ever stays good for Maya and she's proven right when Lucas Friar the boy who broke her heart arrives at her school. He's back and he refuses to let Maya ignore him no matter how hard she tries.
1. It's Like You Never Left

Maya was angry, she was furious in fact. Had been since the day Riley decided that Maya wasn't allowed to grow. That was 2 years ago and now, she was in a new school away from all the people that wrecked her. It had been hard for Shawn when she told him that she wanted to go to boarding school to get away from Riley. He hadn't understood at first but when she explained why, he had accepted it without question. He was also angry about the fact that Cory had tried to change him from the man that Katy had fallen in love with. Shawn was a grown man though and had easily taken the clothes without anything else.

Maya had fought with herself the rest of freshman year but she simply couldn't keep pretending that everything was fine with her friends. She couldn't keep watching Riley and Lucas fumble through their non-existent relationship and have Farkle pretend he couldn't see her hurting when she knew he could and would do nothing about it. She spent more time with Isadora and Zay and more time in the art room working on a portfolio for the appliction to the prestigious boarding school she was hoping to get a scholarship to. Mr Jackson had helped having developed a dislike for Riley and how she affected Maya's art.

She got the Scholarship and well everybody was so proud of her. Everybody except Riley who couldn't believe that she would leave Riley after Riley got to remain in New York in stead of going to London. It was easy after that to cut ties with Riley. She didn't see Riley or Lucas for the rest of the summer and barely saw Farkle who followed Riley around like a lost puppy and in doing so had driven his girlfriend into the arms of Zay who appreciated her a hell of a lot more. So Maya spent her summer with Zay and Smackle and her parents of course. It was hard not to see Cory or Topanga or even Auggie but they came to visit the appartment a few times so that made it a bit easier.

"When she got to her new school she was thankful for the uniform that she had to wear most of the time so that she didn't have to wear the clothes that Riley made her buy too often. She made new friends and even got the odd email from Riley which she replied to as kindly as she could manage. She spoke to Zay and Smackle regularly and they even came to come visit her a few times careful not to mention Riley or Lucas when they came. She was happy right up and untill she walked into the Cafeteria one morning only to come face to face with the boy she had spent two years trying not to think about.

So yeah Maya was furious, how dare he invade her new life and to make matters worse he had gotten more attractive somehow. She spun on her heels and stormed out the Cafeteria, hearing him call after and wishing he would stop making a scene.

"Maya, wait." He had, of course, caught up easily what with him having legs as long as tree trunks and her legs being well tiny, her growth spurt never came. He reached for her wrist and she spun on him ripping her arm from his hand./p

"What Lucas? What do you want? Why are you even here?" Her chest was heaving and people were staring confused by Maya's reaction to the boy in front of her. Maya was known to class mates as being the type of girl who treated most everybody with indifference and especially not letting guys get to her. It was a carefully crafted persona that Maya had built up, she had good friends who new the reason why she acted that way but to the majority of her classmates this reaction was incredibly out of character.

"I got a scholarship, I'm a student here." A humorless laugh bubbled out of Maya and she glared at him.

"Of fucking course you did, for baseball or football?" She asked her eyebrow raised.

"Both" He said and she rolled her eyes, she should have known golden boy would get a two in one scholarship.

"Well listen up Friar, just stay out of my way and everything will be fine." He reached for her again and she jerked back not able to handle him touching her.

"Maya, you're my friend, please." She laughed again and said the words that had been on the tip of the tongue for longer then she cared to admit.

"We aren't friends, Lucas. We never were, I was the girl who was dumb enough to fall for the guy her best friend liked and you were the guy who lead me on for two years and only to tell me he didn't like the way we interacted and ran into the arms of said best friend." He looked as if she had slapped him but she didn't care she was done feeling things when it came to Lucas Friar.

"Maya, that isn't what happened and you know it. I..." She shook her head.

"Save it, You had two years to give me your explanation. It's too late now." She turned away from him and walked away from the boy who had broken her heart and still did against all odds, not that she would let him know that. He called after her but didn't follow her as she walked to her dorm barely keeping the tears from falling. She was glad he let her go, she didn't think she would be able to push him away again and she hated herself for it.

* * *

She managed to make it to her room before falling apart and she was so grateful she had gotten enough room points to get a single room so that she didn't have to deal with a roommate in this state. She had honestly thought she was over it, or as over it as she could be without dealing with it or getting any closure, but seeing him was like a punch to the gut and she couldn't stop everything from flooding back. It probably would have been easier if only the bad memories poured in, because it was every good moment they had shared together that was busy destroying her.

The fire in Texas, New Years Eve standing on the roof before Farkle said anything about Riley. Talking about religion, having him believe in her and her art. All of it was playing across her mind and she wanted to go back to before. Before Riley tried to change her, before the Ski Lodge, before all of it. She couldn't though and that was what was causing the tears to stream down her face, she had missed him and she wanted nothing more then to let him back in but she couldn't. She had no self control with him and if she let him in even a little he would manage to break down all of her walls again. That's what he had done the first time and look where that had gotten her.

She finally managed to calm herself down enough to breathe evenly and she pulled her phone out to call Zay. He must have known this was coming and he hadn't told her. He answered on the second ring and he sounded as guilty as she knew he was.

"Hey Maya, what, why are you calling so early." She rolled her eyes before remembering he obviously couldn't see her.

"Oh come off it Zay, you know exactly why I'm calling. How could you not tell me?" She heard Smackle, level headed Isadora, shriek in the background.

"You didn't tell her, you told me you had informed her that he would be transferring." Maya felt herself smile against all odds. Zay and Smackle really were great together.

"Look Maya, I wanted to tell you but I just didn't know how and I didn't want you to freak out." He said though she had a feeling he was explaining to his girlfriend as much as he was explaining to her. She heard the phone switch over to speaker presumably so that Smackle could hear her reply better.

"Yeah well I freaked out Zay, in front of everyone." There was silence on the other end of the line and then Isadora's kind voice filtered through.

"What happened?" Maya closed her eyes and took a deep breath to calm herself before telling them what had happened. She heard Zay groan as she finished the retelling.

"Maya, I know I did the wrong thing not telling you but I swear I told Luke to give you space and wait for you to go to him. He was never supposed to approach you, especially not in front of everyone." He said sounding annoyed with the boy she new was still his best friend after everything.

"Isaiah is being truthful, we both told him to wait until you were ready before he attempted to start communication with you." Maya had grown to love Smackle's unusual speech pattern over the years and it made Maya smile hearing her now.

"You guys should have known he wouldn't listen. It isn't the Moral Compass' style." Zay chuckled on the other end of the line.

"Listen Monet, I know seeing him can't be easy but you're the strongest person I know and maybe seeing him again is what you need to finally get past this. Who knows maybe you guys can even be friends." He sounded so hopeful and Maya suddenly understood how hard it must have been for him balancing both of them. Having him call her Monet also made her smile, he had started calling her the names of various artists when she got the scholarship and hadn't dropped the habit since.

"Babineaux, I can't promise you that will happen any time soon. At the moment I just want him to stay away from me and let me get on with my life. The winter showcase is coming up and neither of my pieces are where I want them and Daniels is on my ass about entering another piece so I just don't have time to deal with him or how I feel at the moment." Maya really didn't want to let Zay down but she also couldn't let anything ruin the Showcase.

"Don't worry about Picasso, I don't want you stressing about Lucas instead of the Showcase, I just want you to not let him get to you. You and Lucas are my family and I'm not going to pretend that I don't want you guys to be friends again but your happiness is still more important Maya and if that means that I will have to divide my time equally when I come to visit then I will do that." He said the last part jokingly and she smiled. There was a knock on the door and she had a feeling it was Danny coming to check on her. Her friend always made sure to give her some time to compose herself after something happened before checking on her.

"Listen, Danny's at the door so I've got to go but I love you guys so much and I'll see you at the Showcase." She stood from where she had collapsed on the floor and went to the door.

"Love you Maya," they said in unison.

"Send Danielle our regards." This was of course from Smackle and Maya chuckled at the formality, opening the door for her closest friend at Oakmont. She ended the call and waited for Danny to say something.

"So that's the infamous Lucas Friar." That would be the first thing that would leave Danny's lips, not are you okay or what do you need me to do, no she went straight for the root of the problem.

"Yep" Maya said with a pop on the P.

"He's less chiseled then I imagined." Danny said and Maya burst out laughing before pulling her friend into the room and shutting the door. There was no way they were making home room.


	2. I Look at Her and I'm Home

So Lucas knew he had fucked up. He should have listened to Zay and Smackle but he had seen her and she had looked so beautiful and he just couldn't let her walk away, It was a mistake though because he could see the discomfort the eyes on her caused, she didn't like having the people see her freak out but she couldn't help herself when it came to him. He had always pushed her buttons caused that fire in her to rage and so she couldn't back down when he confronted her. Lucas was surprised that she walked away when she did but according to his roommate Maya was about as icy as they came, something that Lucas couldn't comprehend. The Maya that he knew was passionate not withdrawn. She pretended to be tough and not to let people in but she sure as hell wasn't what anyone would call icy. She had friends and didn't actually have a problem with anyone unless they had a problem with her but she was acquaintances with most people rather than friends. Lucas kept watching her until her form disappeared from view and his roommate tapped him on the shoulder.

"I thought you said you and Hunter were friends?" Alex said and it took Lucas a few moments to realize he meant Maya, he hadn't realized she had decided to take Shawn's surname, it made him smile.

"We were, are. It's just been a while since we've talked and she's angry about something that happened back in New York." Alex lifted a brow and the disbelief was clearly written on his face.

"If you say so man, but she literally said you weren't and I have never seen Maya Hunter react so badly to someone in the entire time she's been here. I don't think I've ever heard her raise her voice though to be fair she's scarier when her voice stays low. Also I guess she raises her voice to sing but that's different." The guys babbling reminded him a bit of Zay and then what he said registered.

"Maya sings?" Lucas had known she had a good voice but had never imagined she would actually use it. He suddenly realised how little he knew about what Maya had been up to these past two years. Zay and Smackle had refused to say much when he asked always saying if he wanted to know something about Maya he would have to ask her himself and he had always been too much of a coward to call her.

"Yeah, she's something of an all rounder she does art, but I assume you knew that considering that's what she got into Oakmont for, she's a superstar singer. She's got stellar grades and she's on the varsity girls field hockey team. She focuses mainly on her art and music though." Lucas' eyes grew, Maya really had dropped the rebel facade, he suddenly realized why she had pushed Riley away. Maya wanted to be worthy of the faith that everybody had in her and Riley had told her to do the opposite. She had wanted her to go back to the girl Maya was when Lucas had arrived in New York and Maya couldn't be that girl anymore, she wanted to try and to do well. Lucas remembered thinking that Riley's theory about Maya was misguided and insane but Maya had seemed to agree and so he let it go, he should have known she was only doing it to appease Riley like she did with basically everything. She did everything Riley wanted until she literally couldn't anymore and their relationship imploded.

Lucas had always blamed himself for the destruction of Riley and Maya's relationship and now he realized that this wasn't actually true, maybe the triangle did have a role in it but it was Riley's desire to control the people around her that had ultimately caused Maya to walk away from their friendship. Riley wasn't a cruel person she just didn't realize when she was overstepping when it came to other people's lives. He winced thinking of Riley, their relationship hadn't really ended well which made him sad. Zay and Smackle had somehow remained friends with everybody although they weren't as close with Riley and Farkle because of Smackle's previous relationship with Farkle. Still though it was sad how their group had splintered after everything they had been through. Lucas was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Alex and some of the others guys trying to get his attention until Alex literally snapped his fingers in front of Lucas' face.

"Friar are you coming to Home room or what?" Lucas nodded and was about to follow when his phone started ringing, it was Zay, Lucas flinched this would not be fun.

"I'll catch up with you, I have to take this." Lucas took a deep breath and answered.

"What did I say? What did I say Luke?" Zay sounded livid which wasn't a usual tone for him. Zay had always been protective of Maya, almost from the moment they met. He seemed to see how everybody looked after Riley and didn't notice when Maya needed to be looked after. It was something Lucas had always appreciated but now being the one to upset Maya, had Lucas starting to wish Zay and Maya hadn't gelled quite so much.

"Don't approach her, let her approach you." Lucas said sounding sheepish and brushing a hand through his hair even though Zay couldn't see him.

"Yes and what did you do?" Zay asked none of the normal humour lacing his tone.

"I approached her." Lucas said being sure to answer Zay's questions with no sass.

"Not only did you approach her but you did it in front of the whole school. You are a stubborn ass, Friar and you had better be prepared for the consequences of your actions. If you thought being friends with Maya before this stunt was going to be hard well then you are in for a rude awakening." Lucas blew out a breath and nodded forgetting that his best friend wasn't actually in front of him.

"I don't just want to be friends with Maya, you know that." Zay laughed at him clearly not amused by Lucas' answer and Lucas clenched his eyes shut. He couldn't remember a time that Zay was this angry with him except maybe after the ski lodge. Zay had never understood why Lucas had struggled to make a decision between Riley and Maya, to Zay, Maya was always the obvious choice and he thought Lucas was taking the coward's way out by choosing Riley.

"Luke, I know you don't want to hear this but you might never get to be more with Maya. You don't always get second chance and you hurt her man. Maya isn't the girl she was when she left, I don't know if she'll ever let you back in and if she does, she probably still won't let you anywhere near her heart." It hurt hearing Zay say the words but Lucas new there was a possibility that he had lost Maya forever but he would be damned if he didn't at least try to win her back. Lucas had made the wrong choice that day on the mountain and maybe Maya had pushed him to make but he realized now that she had believed he had already chosen Riley so she was trying to protect herself. He'd let her do it too because he saw her with Josh and he thought she had chosen the older boy instead. Lucas had always felt nauseous seeing her interact with Josh even before he entertained ideas of dating Maya. It infuriated him even more when Josh arrived at the ski lodge pretending to understand everything about their situation and Maya just seemed to lap it up and so Lucas chose Riley even though he shouldn't have. He knew that even then, he knew he was just choosing Riley because the girl he had wanted to choose didn't seem to exist anymore and by the time he realized he was wrong it was too late.

Lucas remembered the moment when he heard she had gotten the scholarship. His heart swelled and then broke, not because she was leaving, but because the Maya Hart he had fallen for was the real Maya and he had let her get away. That was when his relationship with Riley finally reached its breaking point, they fought about everything that summer. Lucas couldn't believe Riley wasn't supportive of Maya getting into Oakmont and so they started fighting. Lucas said some cruel things in that time, things he regrets but he can't take them back and that's how their relationship ended. The saddest part of it is that, it was when they were fighting at the end of their relationship that there was the most passion in it. Maya had kick started every part of Lucas and Riley's relationship it was almost inevitable that without her around to guide them they would fall apart. So Riley and Lucas weren't dating anymore, they weren't even friends anymore and Farkle had quickly made it clear that he chose Riley's side. It was hardly surprising halfway through sophomore year when they started dating and Lucas was happy for them. Lucas had known, probably since New Years when Farkle had told everybody Riley still liked Lucas, that Farkle liked Riley as more than a friend and in a way he had never liked Maya. Farkle had always said that he loved the girls equally that didn't mean he loved them in the same way, Lucas didn't know if that was true because Farkle had let Maya down a lot and they weren't really friends anymore but who knew how Farkle actually felt about all of it.

"Zay, I have to try. She's it for me, nobody is ever going to live up to Maya and if I don't at least try to get her back then I'll hate myself for it." Lucas was aware that he sounded a bit crazy considering he was a high school student but he was almost certain the words he was saying we true.

"Give her time Luke, time and space. Maya's really stressed at the moment she doesn't need you hanging around if she doesn't want you there. I really am rooting for you Lucas, I want us all to be able to hang out together again but Maya's feelings are my top priority right now." Lucas should maybe have been angry that his best friend was prioritizing Maya's feelings over his own but all he could think was that his best friend was the best guy he knew and that he was so glad that Zay was looking out for the girl he loved.

"I will, I promise. I'll listen to you this time, my way just caused everything to get even more fucked up. I've got to go man, I'm going to be late for my first homeroom if I don't start heading there now. You're my brother Zay and I'm sorry I didn't listen to you." He said starting to head in the direction of his class, he had spent yesterday figuring out the school so that he didn't need to depend on anyone else to get him anywhere.

"Yeah, you're my brother too but if you hurt my again I'll kill you. See you in a few weeks, bye." Lucas ended the call and jogged to his homeroom hoping that Maya would be there. He hadn't lied when he told Zay he would give her space but that didn't mean he didn't want her to share classes with him. He got to class and sure enough there was a letter addressed to one Maya Hunter on the desk in front of his. She didn't show up and even though Lucas really wanted to see her he knew it was probably for the best. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable with him there and after what happened half an hour ago there was no doubt she would be. Still his next class was Science and he couldn't help but hope she was there.


	3. Happiness is Worth Maybe Being Miserable

**Hi (waves)**

 **So I'm sorry it's taken me this long to update this story but it was our busiest time of year at work and then I had to have my appendix removed, which let me tell you is not fun. Anyway it ended up taking me this long to get anything out and I know it's not a very long chapter, I struggled to continue the chapter after a certain point and I felt it would be best to tie it up quickly so that it doesn't feel forced.**

 **I wanted to say that both Maya and Lucas and some of the other characters might not be portrayed exactly as they were in the show but it has been 2 years so I think that's quite understandable. If you don't like the way I have written them then I completely understand and you can stop reading this story with no hard feelings.**

 **I also wanted to say thank you for all the wonderful reviews as well as thank you to everybody that favourited and followed this story, it's very much appreciated and I will get back to the people who reviewed as soon as I can but as I said I've just not had the time and I wanted to get another chapter up before I did anything else.**

 **To the people who open this story and anonymously (seriously at least have the balls to identify yourself so that the person can respond.) post horrible reviews because they don't like Lucaya, why are you here? This story was quite clearly labelled Lucaya so if that isn't your cup of tea then don't read it. I don't particularly like Rucas or Joshaya but I'm not going to criticize someones work just because they have a different opinion from me, and if I were the type of person who did, I would be woman enough to not do it anonymously.**

 **I can't promise regular posts but I'll continue to write this story for as long as I am inspired to do so and considering I really believe in Lucaya that will probably be for as long as this story needs to be told. Thanks again for all the reviews you guys are amazing and I am so thankful, if you too are a writer keep at it and don't let cruel reviewers stop you from telling your story. Also if anybody has any stories they want me to read let me know.**

 **All my love**

 **Sam**

* * *

"Maya didn't know what exactly she was feeling. She felt better after talking to her friends and Danny was only making her feel better, but there was this niggling feeling at the back of her mind reminding her that Lucas was out there just waiting for her. She might be making it sound more ominous than it was but if she knew the Cowboy, and even after 2 years she was relatively sure she did, he would keep trying to get her to talk to him. What she hadn't told Zay and Smackle is that she was more afraid that she would forgive him all too quickly if she let him get close enough. Lucas Friar had a way of getting past all her best defenses and she didn't know if she would survive having him get past them only to have it blow up in her face all over again. Maya had worked hard to get passed everything that had happened in freshman year and having Lucas show up again was bringing it all to the forefront again. Danny spoke then breaking through her reverie.

"Lucas being here doesn't have to change anything May. I might have been lying when I said he wasn't as chiseled as I imagined but that doesn't mean he needs to have any power over you. I can see that artist's brain of yours creating all sorts of scenarios where he changes everything but none of that has to happen if you don't want it to. You're one of the strongest people I know Maya and you are not going to let some ghost from your past ruin your year, do you hear me Hunter?" Danny was an incredible friend, the type of friend that Riley had been before the triangle. Maya shook her head, this was the other thing that Lucas brought with him, thoughts of the best friend Maya had lost, Maya didn't blame Lucas for the destruction of her relationship with Riley but her relationship with Lucas ran parallel with the unraveling of Maya and Riley's relationship and for that reason the two events were inexplicably linked. Maya couldn't lie and say that she didn't miss Riley or even Farkle, they had both been the light in Maya's life when she was surrounded by darkness but at this stage she didn't know how to fix what they broke two years ago. Maya closed her eyes and returned her thoughts to the problem at hand.

"That's the thing, Dan. I'm scared he changes me, part of me really misses the girl I was around him and I'm scared to go back to being her. It's not because she was bad or weak it's because if I let myself be that girl again then I'll let him back in. I'll fall for him all over again and have my heart broken." Maya Hart had loved Lucas Friar, she had, it didn't matter what Riley or Josh had said, the feelings Maya had for him had been real. Maya Hunter wasn't the same girl but she wasn't sure that mattered at this stage.

"Maya Hunter you cannot be afraid of something that hasn't even happened yet! That's not the type of person you are, you are going to take it one day at a time and you are not going to let Lucas control the things you do this year. Maybe you'll become friends with him again, maybe you'll become more and maybe you'll see that he's changed and that he doesn't fit into your world anymore. What's important is that you let it develop naturally, I know you want to focus on art and music and everything but don't push him away just because you're scared May." Danny had a way of being brutally honest that Maya appreciated and she saw through Maya in a way that very few people did. She could also tell Maya things that Zay and Isadora couldn't because they were too close to the situation. Maya smiled at her friend and felt better prepared to face the school and Lucas if it came to that.

"We should probably get going then lest I let Lucas control my year." She said cheekily causing Danny to flick her on the forehead.

* * *

She had art first lesson and was ecstatic about it because it was one class she was almost certain Lucas wouldn't be in. It was obviously also her favourite subject so that helped, her art had flourished at Oakmont and she felt good about it. She actually felt like she would be able to do something with her art after school which was a dream she had never allowed herself to believe in before coming to Oakmont. Maya grabbed her bag and pulled Danny out of her room, Danny did not have art with her as Danny was about as good at art as Zay was at keeping his mouth shut. She was a great musician and dancer though and had taken ballet as an elective this year. One of the greatest things about their school was the wide range of classes and extra-murals it offered. Back in New York all Maya could really do that fit her interests was art and now she had music and hockey too, she also actually enjoyed the other subjects she was taking. She liked doing well in History, English and Economics, which she had been told to take to supplement her art, and she actually really liked the business side of things. She might not have taken any stem subjects which might have disappointed some but she had taken subjects that suited her with the subject she enjoyed least probably being Geography and even that she grudgingly respected and worked hard in.

"Maya was all to happy with how her morning developed, Lucas wasn't in any of her morning classes and she didn't have to worry about seeing him at lunch because she and her friends almost always spent lunch in one of the music rooms. Her luck continued through to Economics and by the time English had come about she had almost forgot about the the Lucas debacle. That was of course her mistake because as she walked into the class there he was in the desk behind hers, the memories flooded her with a sense of deja vu. The classes at Oakmont were small so of course there wouldn't be a person with a surname between Friar and Hunter. Maya stood frozen in the doorway until her teacher cleared her throat.

"Miss Hunter, if you would take your seat." Miss Jordan said, she was one of the youngest teachers at Oakmont and Maya enjoyed her class. She in no way wanted Lucas to affect her marks but she wasn't sure how that was possible with him sitting right behind her, it was far too reminiscent of a time she had long since accepted was over. She quickly took her seat, her shoulders tense, and placed her books on her table making sure to stay as far away from Lucas' table as was physically possible. The class started and no matter how much Maya tried to focus on the lesson she was constantly aware of his presence behind her, it unnerved her. Suddenly there was a tap on her shoulder and she froze before slowly turning around to face the boy who had broken her heart with a glare she hoped was a fierce as the one she used to adopt on the streets of New York. Lucas threw his hands up in what she assumed was appeasement and spoke.

"I'm sorry Maya, Miss Jordan said to discuss with the person in front or behind you and for me that's you." Maya groaned not only did she have to work with Hopalong but she hadn't heard a word the teacher had said so she'd have to ask him to recap.

"What are we discussing exactly?" She asked and he immediately smirked causing Maya to bristle, he did always know how to get under her skin.

"We're discussing the different relationships in The Crucible and how these relationships impact the progression of the of the plot." He said, thankfully without any snark, Maya could work with that. She could just pretend he was any other person as long as he didn't try make it seem like they were anything more than they were. So that's exactly what she did, there were no nicknames, no openings for him to make this anything other than an assignment that they were forced together for. So maybe Maya got some warm feelings at the fact that he didn't show any surprise at her ability to carry her side of the conversation, but that didn't mean anything...she wouldn't let it.


	4. She's a girl that I once knew

**Hey all sorry for taking so long to update (I have a feeling I'm going to say that a lot) but I do hope you stick with this story despite that. I have a thesis to do and work so I don't find much time to write. I am also sorry this chapter is so short but I don't want to force myself to write more just for a higher word count. I know that can be frustrating but it's how it's going to have to be. I know this story has been quite slow but from this point on it should start to move a bit faster now that we know a bit about where the characters are coming from. Time will probably start moving faster as well and I'm going to try to include more interactions with other characters as well as our two leads.**

 **I have a rough idea of where I want this story to go, that being said I'm publishing as I'm writing so things might change. Thank you for all the support and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.**

 **All my love**

 **Sam**

* * *

It was an incredible thing, sitting there listening to Maya speak without trying to dumb herself down or seem like she didn't care about school. She was so passionate and outspoken and wasn't afraid to tell him his opinion about the play was wrong, something he couldn't imagine the old Maya doing, at least not when it came to academics. He loved sitting there and feeling like maybe he hadn't ruined everything, sure it stung every time she said Lucas instead of Huckleberry or Ranger Rick but that would take time. She wasn't at all sullen and so who could blame Lucas for forgetting that she didn't want them to be friends. Lucas was following her out of class intent on keeping the conversation going when she stopped suddenly and turned to him her face devoid of emotion.

"What didn't you understand about us not being friends?" She said her voice harsh.

"Look I'm not going to cause a scene in class when a teacher pairs us up or jeopardize my grade by not doing the work but that doesn't mean I want anything to do with you outside of class." With that she spun around and walked away leaving Lucas to stand in the doorway feeling as though he'd just been slapped. He finally snapped out of it when somebody shoved past him and moved on to class. His last class of the day was History and when he got there Maya was there too at a desk with her name on it and exactly the same as in the previous class his desk was behind hers. If Lucas closed his eyes he could almost imagine Riley and Farkle in the desks next to theirs and pretend that it was Mr Matthews who was going to walk in and teach them some life lesson that vaguely connected to a historical event. That wasn't where he was though and instead of leaning on his desk as had been her habit in the past Maya sat with her back straight and every part of her as far away from his desk as was possible. Lucas took his seat and tried not to let the old memories cripple him.

He often still struggled with it, the way things were ruined by a triangle and him making the wrong decision. At first he'd been able to convince himself that he was always going to choose Riley and that he was happy with his decision, even if he'd been planning on choosing Maya that night she climbed through the Bay window covered in purple paint. He told himself that he had wanted the girl Maya had been pretending to be. The problem was that after the ski lodge Lucas realized all the bullshit about Maya turning into Riley was exactly that...bullshit. He started missing Maya even though they saw each other almost everyday, the thing was that it wasn't the same anymore. There was no more name calling or teasing, no more deep conversations or really any conversations at all. That was when the doubt started, it didn't help that his relationship with Riley hadn't changed from the awkward almost relationship they had developed over the years. So he went home for Christmas without telling Riley and didn't really talk to her while he was away and all he wanted to do while he was home for the holiday was talk to Maya and share everything with her. His Pappy Joe talked some sense into him that holiday and Lucas realized his mistake but it was already to late. When he got back from Texas, Maya spoke to him even less, even if the present she had gotten him for secret Santa was a painting of a bonfire on a beautiful clear night in Texas. She handed it to him without a word and instead of feeling elated Lucas had seen it for what it was, closure for Maya, she was giving him back one of the most important moments in their relationship. He still had it though, had brought it with him to Oakmont.

Lucas remained distracted throughout the class, his eyes focused on Maya as she scribbled down notes in a history class that was nothing like the one that Mr Matthews had taught. She ignored him completely, seeming oblivious to his very present except for the fact that she never leaned back in her chair and everything about her seemed tense. When the bell rang she was up and out of class before Lucas even closed his unused notebook, he was about to walk out when his Teacher called after him.

"Mr. Friar, a word please?" Lucas turned toward Miss Saunders seeing disappointment in her eyes.

"I understand you're here on a sport scholarship, Mr. Friar but I thought you cared about academics when I saw your marks from your previous school." Lucas cringed, his distraction hadn't gone unnoticed then.

"This school demands excellence from its students and staring at the back of another students head for the entirety of class is not how you achieve that excellence." Lucas resisted the urge to rub the back of his neck.

"I promise it won't happen again Miss Saunders." She nodded.

"I understand that you and Miss Hunter know each other from your previous school but I will not allow you to bring whatever unresolved issues you have into this classroom. Now I expect a full summary of what we did in class today on my desk tomorrow. You are dismissed."

His first day hadn't gone very well and he could only hope that practice would go better then history had. Lucas wasn't really sure what he had expected to happen when he saw Maya again but this hadn't been it. He headed down to the locker rooms to change and ran into Maya as he was exiting.

"For fucks sake, am I going to have to see you every time I turn a corner." Lucas just lifted his hands in a placating way and stepped back so she could get passed, he couldn't handle another confrontation. She huffed as if annoyed with him for giving in so easily and breezed passed. She had practice too then, he frowned as he followed her, he couldn't afford getting distracted in practice but he was curious to see how Maya would look on the field, how she would move. These were of course things he shouldn't have been thinking about before his first practice with a new team but he couldn't help it, he was intrigued by this Maya who was so much like the girl he had known and yet completely different. Still Lucas steeled himself, he had to focus, he wasn't going to get anywhere with Maya by staring at her while he was supposed to be practicing. Making progress with her would take time, Zay and Smackle had said as much, he needed to give her space and slowly break down her walls until she let him be a part of her life again. With that in mind Lucas walked onto the field intent on making his first practice a good one. It worked...mostly except for the few times he got distracted by seeing Maya laugh with her teammates and his heart almost stopped. Still the coach was happy with his performance and that was all Lucas could hope for on his first day on the team.


	5. Do you remember all of your audiences?

**Wow it has been way too long and all I can do is apologize, I'm so sorry but this last year has just been insane and I pretty much haven't written anything since the last time I posted. Until today I have and idea of what I want to do with the next few chapters so I hope it doesn't take me too long to post the next chapter. Things at work are quiet at the moment so I should get sometime to write. I just want to thank everyone who followed and favourited this story it cannot have been easy what with me going AWOL. It means the world to me that people seem to like my story even if it has only been a few chapters, I hope I won't let you all down again.**

 **This chapter is a bit of a filler chapter so I'm sorry but I actually really like how it turned out. I hope you enjoy it and hopefully you'll hear from me again soon.**

 **Happy reading.**

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Things started to become normal at school, she and Lucas were often paired in the classes that they shared and she treated him like she would any other person she was paired with. He seemed to get the message that she didn't want anything else to do with him and didn't push her to pay attention to him. She wasn't at all frustrated by this, it wasn't like she had wanted him to fight for her or anything. She told him to leave her be and that was exactly what he was doing and she was happy about it...really.

Everything was actually going well, her pieces for the showcase had together well although she wasn't able to add another piece like Mr Daniels had wanted her to.

Lucas' arrival had definitely impacted her creativity and she wasn't able to produce anything that wasn't tinged with nostalgia and would scream to anyone who knew her that it was about Lucas. That should have been fine because she'd worked quite hard to ensure that very few people at school would know her that well but Danny, Zay and Smackle would see right through her. Then she had to think about what Lucas would think if he saw it. The school had exhibits running throughout the year adding the best pieces that students were producing throughout their time at the school. Maya helped at the exhibit and she had seen Lucas come in a number of times. He always stopped at Maya's paintings even though she had chosen not publicize the fact that they were hers. So any hope that Maya had of him not recognizing a piece of which he was the inspiration was shot. Maya could not let Lucas know that he still had any influence on her life.

So she had apologized to Daniels and said she wasn't comfortable presenting any of her new pieces for the showcase, even if he had said the pieces were some of her best. Maya wasn't ready to be that vulnerable, not yet, not with Lucas so close. She was confident in the pieces she had started that summer, before he past and present had collided, she had just needed to fine tune them and keep practicing with Danny, Bella and Hastings for their performance at the showcase. Bella and Hastings were her other closest friends and the four of the had decided to collaborate on a piece this year. Danny and Hastings were dancing with Bella playing the piano and Maya singing. It would be Maya's first really important performance as she hadn't felt confident enough to do the showcase her previous year when she had just gotten to Oakmont. She had entered some of her art but with that she had so many teachers who had supported her in it so she had fell confident in her pieces. Her music however was a different story . This year however everything was be different, she knew she had some talent in the music department and with the her friends there to add their incredible talents into the piece she was sure they would do wonderfully at the show. That didn't mean she wasn't nervous though she was terrified especially at the prospect of Lucas being there. She had almost pulled out after he had arrived but she had promised Danny she wouldn't let him influence her time at school and she couldn't let down the people who had helped her so much since she came to the school. So she kept practicing and reminded herself that you couldn't see anything from the stage anyway so she wouldn't even know if Lucas was there.

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Everything had come together for this weekend when people all over the country and scouts from different universities came to see what it was Oakmont had to offer. Maya might have only been a Junior but making a name for yourself early would only mean more people came to watch you the next year when it really mattered. The art exhibition was open the entire weekend from Friday afternoon with the artists expected to be there to answer questions at certain times. Maya had the first slot because she had to perform in the evening, it was quiet because most of the people would only come through that evening or the next morning. Maya was wired for the night's performance was the first of four with one on Saturday evening and another two on Sunday one in the Morning and one in the evening which was for students only. Students could come to the other performances but then they were expected to pay and even rich kids didn't like paying for something if they didn't have to. She got through her hour of answering questions and raced back to the dorm to get changed and get her make up and then going to the Cafeteria to get some food before going to the theatre to get ready before the show. She walked into the Cafeteria only to collide with Lucas. She bristled immediately more annoyed with her luck then Lucas himself but she couldn't take her anger out on her luck so Lucas it was.

"Friar, have you made a habit of being in my way?" she snapped, feeling bad when she saw the hurt in his eyes but brushing it off because he did this to them. She was about to push past him when he reached out to prevent her from leaving, she turned ready to snap again but the look in his eyes stopped her.

"Maya, I just wanted to say good luck for the showcase. I know you're going to be amazing." Maya felt her cheeks heat and heart skip a beat so she mumbled a quick thank you and continued on her way, more bothered by the exchange then she had hoped to be. It had reminded her once again of when they had tried to save the art program in their final year of Middle School.

"You're a great artist Maya." The words echoed in her mind and she could almost see his face as he said it, feel her heart swell and in the back of her mind she could almost hear Zay make silly comments about the whole situation. Maya shook her head and continued on to the counter to get herself some food.

* * *

When Maya got to the theatre it was complete chaos, everyone was talking over each other and makeup was strewed on every flat surface. She spotted her friends in the corner and made a beeline for them, seeing they were all almost done, as had been the plan so that they could all help her get ready. Maya was normally more than up to the challenge of doing her own hair and makeup but it took a lot of time. She had a lot of hair and the waves she loved weren't always that easy to control.

"There you are! What took you so long?" Hastings asked hairbrush in his hand, eyeing her hair in a way that would have terrified her if she didn't know what he could do with said hairbrush and a bit of time.

"I ran into the jock and just needed to get my head straight afterwards." Maya and her friends had taken to calling Lucas the jock so that they could speak slightly more openly. Her three friends nodded and Hastings chased Danny from the chair.

"We'll add the finishing touches just before we go on lest you find some way to ruin it." He said snippily making Maya snicker and causing Danny to hit them both.

"You two are the worst! I would not ruin it." Maya exchanged looks with both Hastings and Bella, Danny loved pretty things and getting dressed up, she was just clumsy and tended to find ways to ruin the hard work that the other three had put into getting her glammed up. Hair and makeup was too much like art for Danny to be any good at it, much to her chagrin because it meant she had to put up with Maya and the other two teasing her about it. Maya sat down and let Bella and Hastings work their magic in a coordinated way that only the couple could. Bella and Hastings had been dating for as long as Maya had known them. Hastings was Bi and proud of it and Maya knew he and Bella had some exotic tastes when it came to their sex life, she knew this because they were decidedly outspoken about it at least with their friends. Hastings and Bella were both from very wealthy families and had come to Oakmont with certain things expected of them.

Hastings was Captain of the Swim team because of these expectations though that didn't mean he didn't love the sport and Bella was well on her way to Julliard with her musical talent although to her parents it was a back up if she didn't do well enough in her subjects to get into an Ivy League university to study pre-med. Hastings was also expected to go to an Ivy League of course, ideally Harvard where he was to study pre-law. They both loved the arts though and had kept bumping into each other in the dance and music department in the evenings during their rehearsals. That didn't mean it had been smooth sailing for the two of them though. Bella had dropped in on a number of Hastings' rehearsals only to find him tangled up with a different guy or girl. It had made the first few months of their friendship difficult but eventually they were able to get on the same page and now they were cutest couple at Oakmont. When Maya had gotten to Oakmont nobody had believed they would make it but here they were a year later and the two were closer than ever. Danny had become friends with Hastings through dance and swimming and then Bella and Hastings became a package deal. Maya had stumbled into their group by being Danny's roommate. Danny was from a middle class family and had been at Oakmont on a scholarship since Freshman year. She was a beautiful dancer and wanted to join a ballet company following her graduation. She was smart though she didn't always put enough effort into her school work but seeing as she was on Scholarship her marks were still better than most. She was a part of the swim team to help with her fitness in a way that wouldn't jeopardize her dancing career swimming. Maya couldn't believe how she had lucked up and she would have happily kept rooming with Danny if they hadn't both gotten single rooms but they both wanted their own space. Danny to stretch and Maya for an art station and so they settled for rooms next to each other with Bella down the hall.

Maya couldn't believe how lucky she had been to meet these people and make the type of friends she had been terrified she would never find again. So she sat there letting Hastings and Bella poke and prod her with a smile on her face it took a while but eventually all four of them were dressed and ready and they were being rushed to stage for their performance. Maya took a deep a breath and stepped out onto the stage and just before the spotlight went on she saw him. There in the middle of the audience was Lucas Friar, Maya wanted to run but she just gripped the microphone tighter. Bella played the first note and Maya forgot everything else letting the music carry her away.

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 **I hope you enjoyed it, by the way if you like look up the quote that gave this chapter its name it's from one of my favourite books and I really like what it says about the end of the chapter.**


	6. So Beautiful that it Made my Soul Ache

**Hey beautiful people, so it's not been nearly as long since I last posted so that's a win in my book. Thanks for the new reviews and follows I really appreciate it. Just one thing before you start reading there is some french in this chapter which I chose not to translate because I didn't like how the meaning changed when translated to English. If you cannot speak French though and need to translate it I recommend reverso translate as it gives a truer translation than google translate and is easy enough to find. I'm sorry the chapter is short I went back and forth trying to decide whether to add more of what happened during the weekend from Lucas' perspective but I ultimately decided that I wanted to leave the focus on how he felt about Maya after seeing her perform for the first time. Anyway enjoy the chapter if you want to see pictures of my inspiration for what Maya looked like feel free to message me and I'll be glad to send you pictures if I can, I'm still figuring out what I can and can't do on FF.**

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The moment Maya walked out onto the stage Lucas's breath rushed out of him. She looked absolutely radiant, bathed in gold like she was born of the sun. Clothing design also formed part of the showcase and the dress that had been designed for Maya was exquisite. The gold of the dress stood out against her pale skin and the gold surrounding her eyes made them seem even more impossibly blue than they already were. Everything about the look was a complete opposite to the look that Riley had tried to get Maya to revert back to on that fateful day when Lucas was so sure he had made his decision. The look that, to Lucas' eternal embarrassment, convinced him that it wasn't Maya that he wanted, at least not the real Maya. She shone in the dress, looking confident and comfortable in her own skin even though she was in an outfit Lucas never would have imagined her picking. The dress was figure hugging and covered in golden detail that reflected the light when she moved, her hair was in a braid circling around her head like a halo with a few soft curls framing her face making sure she didn't look unnaturally perfect. She was breathtaking, it was like looking at something that belonged in an art exhibit. She was without a doubt the most beautiful thing Lucas had ever seen and then she opened her mouth and his heart soared.

However much Lucas and Riley had hurt Maya she had not let them break her or put out any of the fire that was raging inside of her. She kept that fire under lock and key most of the time, sure, but it was still there and it gave Lucas hope. It was shining so bright in that moment that Lucas wasn't sure how she ever managed to tame it and make herself seem at all cold. Maya Hunter was everything Lucas had hoped she would be and even though it had hurt when she had done it, leaving New York, leaving Riley and himself had been the right thing for Maya. She was stronger even if she was more closed off and Lucas didn't think she would ever let anyone tell her who she was supposed to be ever again. Hearing her sing shocked Lucas because she sang in french, a language Lucas hadn't even been aware she could speak but Lucas had taken it so he could understand most of it. It was an old song about lost love and it was hauntingly beautiful and suited her voice perfectly. Lucas tried to focus on the dance that was happening to the left of Maya but even when she wasn't singing Lucas couldn't drag his eyes away from Maya, she was resplendent and the words she was singing struck him to his core. Everything about the song echoed their past and Lucas had a hard time breathing.

 _Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle_

 _Tu vois je n'ai pas oublié_

 _Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle_

 _Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi_

 _Et le vent du nord les emportet_

 _Dans la nuit froide de l'oubli_

 _Tu vois, je n'ai pas oublié_

 _La chanson que tu me chantais_

 _C'est une chanson, qui nous ressemble_

 _Toi tu m'aimais, et je t'aimais_

 _Et nous vivions tout les deux ensemble_

 _Toi qui m'aimais, moi qui t'aimais_

 _Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment_

 _Tout doucement sans faire de bruit_

 _Et la mer efface sur le sable_

 _Le pas des amants désunis_

 _Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle,_

 _Les souvenirs et les regrets aussi_

 _Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle_

 _Sourit toujours et remercie la vie_

 _Je t'aimais tant, tu étais si jolie,_

 _Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie?_

 _En ce temps-là, la vie était plus belle_

 _Et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui_

 _Tu étais ma plus douce amie_

 _Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets_

 _Et la chanson que tu chantais_

 _Toujours, toujours je l'entendrai!_

All he could think was that maybe, just maybe Maya missed him too and that her indifference was shield to protect her heart. He'd heard Maya sing before and he'd seen her be vulnerable, hearing the venerability in her voice as she put all the fire in her heart into her performance was something Lucas knew he would never forget. He got to see a side of Maya he never thought he would get to again, and even if she couldn't forgive him, maybe that was was enough. If Lucas had been unsure of his feelings for Maya before he was certain with everything in him now that she was it for him and he'd keep fighting to win her back, but if he didn't, seeing her on that stage would be enough. She sang the last lines in English and as the last note rang out the whole crowd was on their feet. Lucas jumped up with them and couldn't have stopped cheering or clapping if he tried. She was awe-inspiring and Lucas couldn't wait to see what she had done with her art.

He'd seen a few of her pieces in the school's student art exhibit and had been so proud of what she produced. She had found her voice and it reminded Lucas of a day sitting in a Cafe, just the four of them, Maya, Lucas, Riley and Farkle, before everything had gone to shit. They had spoken about artists and their voices and how Maya believed she would never have anything real to say.

She had been wrong that day and Lucas had said as much in his own way. Maya had kept painting and through all of it, all of the hardships she had experienced and she had created something beautiful and distinctly Maya. Lucas had realized looking at the pieces that, that was why Maya had needed to get away from Riley. It wasn't just that Riley had tried to stunt her growth but that it had, had an impact on her art. It had impacted this innate part of Maya in a way that she couldn't stand. For Maya art had been there for her through everything before even Riley was and she couldn't let Riley destroy that part of her. Lucas didn't know why Maya had chosen to display the pieces anonymously because there was absolutely no way that anyone who knew Maya would have any doubt about who had created the pieces. The showcase would be different though and Lucas would get to hear the Maya's inspiration for each piece if he went at the right time.

Lucas stared at Maya, she had a huge smile on her face and Lucas couldn't remember ever seeing her so happy. Maya Hunter was happy, she had a family and friends and music and passion, Lucas wanted to be part of that more than anything. He'd talk to Zay this weekend and get ideas for how to get closer to Maya without making her uncomfortable. He would talk to Zay because he didn't want to get on Maya's bad side or Zay's for that matter, Zay's bad side of course being an angry Smackle who was no longer affected by the way Lucas looked. Lucas wanted to do things right this time and convince Maya that she was the only one for him, that she wasn't the second choice or as Lucas had once said, much to his dismay, the other one. She was the only one, the only one Lucas wanted and he would spend the rest of his life making up for his mistakes, she just had to let him. With all this going on in his head the rest of the performances were a blur all Lucas could think about was Maya and their past and how he could possibly make up for it.

* * *

Lucas walked out of the theater after the last performance and came face to face with Shawn Hunter and Cory Matthews, neither of them looked happy to see him. Lucas gulped, he'd never been particularly scared of Riley's father, his best friend was a different story though. Shawn was fiercely protective of Maya, he had been pretty much since meeting the blonde firecracker and that made Lucas understandably apprehensive. Cory hadn't forgiven Lucas for how his relationship with Riley imploded and the fact that he was here proved that even though his daughter's relationship with Maya was strained he most definitely still cared for her. All this equated to Lucas wanting to handle the interaction as delicately as possible and not step on anybody's toes more than he had to. So Lucas waited for one of the men to speak and was happy he didn't when Shawn eventually spoke.

"Friar." Shawn said with his eyes narrowed in a way that reminded Lucas of his adopted daughter.

"Mr. Hunter, Mr. Matthews." Lucas said hoping if he was polite the exchange would go more smoothly.

"I don't know why you came to this school but I'd advise you to stay away from my daughter, she's happy here and she doesn't need you ruining it." Shawn said and Lucas wanted to feel angry but all he could think was that he was happy that Maya finally had a father who cared.

"I don't want to hurt Maya, I never wanted to hurt Maya and I'm sorry that I did but I think it's up to her whether or not she wants something to do with me." Lucas replied deciding to hold his ground even if he did respect Shawn and where he was coming from. Shawn looked like he wanted to say more but he was interrupted by the blonde beauty herself.

"Dad, Matthews leave the hick alone, he hasn't been causing problems." Lucas wanted to be happy that she had used a stereotypical southern nickname but it wasn't endearing like it used to be, it was like she was just saying out of habit. Lucas walked towards Maya and he saw her tense up but not like she was getting ready for a fight more like she was waiting for him knock her down and Lucas' heart almost broke right there. Still he he didn't walk away he needed her to know she was amazing and that he was always going to be there to cheer for her. It might take time but he would do it because she was incredible and he wanted to tell her any chance he could.

"I just wanted t congratulate you, Maya. That was amazing." It was all he said not wanting to push his luck with Maya or her protectors. He turned towards Katy though who he had just noticed standing next to Maya.

"You should be insanely proud of your daughter Mrs Hunter, she's incredible." Out of the corner of his eye he saw a slight blush creep up Maya's cheeks but he was focused on her mother, who gave him a soft smile and nodded. He turned to walk away and nodded at Topanga, who nodded back, before walking on and leaving them to their celebrations. He turned back just once to see both women hit their respective husbands across the head and Maya laughing before she launched herself at her parents. Happy, Maya was happy and Lucas couldn't help smiling at the thought.


End file.
